Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45

Download Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472836979
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 by : Philip Jowett

Download or read book Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 written by Philip Jowett and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-06-25 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Japanese occupation of large parts of Asia and the Pacific in 1941–45, Japan raised significant numbers of troops to fight alongside them, as well as militias to guard their conquests. The total number of these soldiers is estimated at no fewer than 600,000 men. These ranged from the regular troops of Manchukuo (200,000 men), Nanking China (250,000), Thailand, and recruits from the 'puppet' Burmese Independence Army (30,000) and Indian National Army (40,000), to constabularies and spear-wielding militias in the Philippines (15,000), Borneo, Indonesia and New Guinea. Many of the recruits from former European colonies hoped for independence as part of the 'Greater East-Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere' proclaimed by Japanese propaganda, but Japan's intentions were entirely cynical. They formed alliances to deny the Allied powers access to territory that they could not actually occupy, and raised these large numbers of auxiliary troops to relieve the manpower burden of occupation, or simply as 'cannon-fodder'. This extensively researched study examines each of these armies and militias in detail, exploring their history and deployment during World War II, and revealing the intricacies of their arms and equipment with stunning full-colour artwork and previously unpublished contemporary photographs.

Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45

Download Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472836944
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 by : Philip Jowett

Download or read book Japan's Asian Allies 1941–45 written by Philip Jowett and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-06-25 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Japanese occupation of large parts of Asia and the Pacific in 1941–45, Japan raised significant numbers of troops to fight alongside them, as well as militias to guard their conquests. The total number of these soldiers is estimated at no fewer than 600,000 men. These ranged from the regular troops of Manchukuo (200,000 men), Nanking China (250,000), Thailand, and recruits from the 'puppet' Burmese Independence Army (30,000) and Indian National Army (40,000), to constabularies and spear-wielding militias in the Philippines (15,000), Borneo, Indonesia and New Guinea. Many of the recruits from former European colonies hoped for independence as part of the 'Greater East-Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere' proclaimed by Japanese propaganda, but Japan's intentions were entirely cynical. They formed alliances to deny the Allied powers access to territory that they could not actually occupy, and raised these large numbers of auxiliary troops to relieve the manpower burden of occupation, or simply as 'cannon-fodder'. This extensively researched study examines each of these armies and militias in detail, exploring their history and deployment during World War II, and revealing the intricacies of their arms and equipment with stunning full-colour artwork and previously unpublished contemporary photographs.

A Sudden Rampage

Download A Sudden Rampage PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
ISBN 13 : 9780824824914
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (249 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Sudden Rampage by : Nicholas Tarling

Download or read book A Sudden Rampage written by Nicholas Tarling and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Sudden Rampage describes Japan's occupation of Southeast Asia during World War II in the context of its relationship with the outside world. The first two chapters focus on the period between the Meiji restoration, the end of World War I, the interwar period, and the outbreak of war in the Pacific. Subsequent chapters offer a short narrative of the Pacific conflict and a country by country description of Japan's political activities in the occupied region and economic activities undertaken by the Japanese in wartime Southeast Asia. The concluding chapter assesses the contribution the occupation made to postwar Southeast Asia in the light of the suffering and destruction rendered on the region.

Rays of the Rising Sun: Armed Forces of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45

Download Rays of the Rising Sun: Armed Forces of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781906033781
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (337 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rays of the Rising Sun: Armed Forces of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45 by : John Berger

Download or read book Rays of the Rising Sun: Armed Forces of Japan's Asian Allies 1931-45 written by John Berger and published by . This book was released on 2012-06-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the Japanese Empire went to war with the Allies in December 1941, it had already been fighting in China for 10 years. During that time it had conquered huge areas of China, and subjugated millions of people. The Japanese needed to control the Chinese population in these occupied territories, and for this reason they set up governments from amongst the leaders of the Chinese who were willing to cooperate with them. These so-called 'puppet' governments were designed to rule on behalf of the Japanese while firmly under their overall control. In turn, the puppet governments needed their own armed forces to help them maintain control over the populace and so they raised their own 'independent' armed forces. These puppet armies were large in number, reaching a total of well over 1 million before 1945. Although poorly armed and equipped, these forces had an influence on the Japanese war effort through sheer numbers.The Chinese puppet soldiers ranged from the well-drilled and trained regular Army of the Last Emperor of China, Pu Yi, who ruled the newly-formed state of Manchukuo, 1932-45, to the irregular Mongol cavalry who served alongside Japanese troops in the 'secret war' waged in the Mongolian hinterlands. The troops were dismissed as traitors by the Chinese fighting the Japanese, and they were equally despised by the Japanese themselves. The troops were motivated by a range of reasons, from simple survival to a loyalty to their commander. The fact that so many Chinese were willing to fight for the Japanese was embarrassing to all sides, and for this reason has been largely ignored in previous histories of the war in the East. In the first of a three-volume series, Philip Jowett tell the story of the Chinese who fought for the Japanese over a 14 year period. He describes in detail the organization, training, actions, uniforms and equipment of these forces, including detailed orders-of-battle. Volume 1 contains many rare and previously unpublished photos, as well as color plates illustrating the uniforms and insignia of the armies. The air forces and navies of these states are also described in detail, incl. color aircraft profiles. In a series of appendices, the author provides selected orders of battle as well as biographies of notable military commanders. This is a fascinating insight into a hitherto-neglected aspect of Second World War and Asian military history. This is a limited edition reprint of just 500 copies, each copy numbered and signed by the author.

Japan 1941

Download Japan 1941 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Vintage
ISBN 13 : 0385350511
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (853 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Japan 1941 by : Eri Hotta

Download or read book Japan 1941 written by Eri Hotta and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2013-10-29 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking history that considers the attack on Pearl Harbor from the Japanese perspective and is certain to revolutionize how we think of the war in the Pacific. When Japan launched hostilities against the United States in 1941, argues Eri Hotta, its leaders, in large part, understood they were entering a war they were almost certain to lose. Drawing on material little known to Western readers, and barely explored in depth in Japan itself, Hotta poses an essential question: Why did these men—military men, civilian politicians, diplomats, the emperor—put their country and its citizens so unnecessarily in harm’s way? Introducing us to the doubters, schemers, and would-be patriots who led their nation into this conflagration, Hotta brilliantly shows us a Japan rarely glimpsed—eager to avoid war but fraught with tensions with the West, blinded by reckless militarism couched in traditional notions of pride and honor, tempted by the gambler’s dream of scoring the biggest win against impossible odds and nearly escaping disaster before it finally proved inevitable. In an intimate account of the increasingly heated debates and doomed diplomatic overtures preceding Pearl Harbor, Hotta reveals just how divided Japan’s leaders were, right up to (and, in fact, beyond) their eleventh-hour decision to attack. We see a ruling cadre rich in regional ambition and hubris: many of the same leaders seeking to avoid war with the United States continued to adamantly advocate Asian expansionism, hoping to advance, or at least maintain, the occupation of China that began in 1931, unable to end the second Sino-Japanese War and unwilling to acknowledge Washington’s hardening disapproval of their continental incursions. Even as Japanese diplomats continued to negotiate with the Roosevelt administration, Matsuoka Yosuke, the egomaniacal foreign minister who relished paying court to both Stalin and Hitler, and his facile supporters cemented Japan’s place in the fascist alliance with Germany and Italy—unaware (or unconcerned) that in so doing they destroyed the nation’s bona fides with the West. We see a dysfunctional political system in which military leaders reported to both the civilian government and the emperor, creating a structure that facilitated intrigues and stoked a jingoistic rivalry between Japan’s army and navy. Roles are recast and blame reexamined as Hotta analyzes the actions and motivations of the hawks and skeptics among Japan’s elite. Emperor Hirohito and General Hideki Tojo are newly appraised as we discover how the two men fumbled for a way to avoid war before finally acceding to it. Hotta peels back seventy years of historical mythologizing—both Japanese and Western—to expose all-too-human Japanese leaders torn by doubt in the months preceding the attack, more concerned with saving face than saving lives, finally drawn into war as much by incompetence and lack of political will as by bellicosity. An essential book for any student of the Second World War, this compelling reassessment will forever change the way we remember those days of infamy.

Rays of the Rising Sun

Download Rays of the Rising Sun PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Helion and Company
ISBN 13 : 1907677569
Total Pages : 254 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (76 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rays of the Rising Sun by : John Berger

Download or read book Rays of the Rising Sun written by John Berger and published by Helion and Company. This book was released on 2013-01-19 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first of a three-volume series examining the history of Chinese “puppet” soldiers fighting for the Japanese before and during World War II. When the Japanese Empire went to war with the Allies in December 1941. it had already been fighting in China for 10 years. During that time, it had conquered huge areas of China, and subjugated millions of people. The Japanese needed to control the Chinese population in these occupied territories, and for this reason they set up governments from amongst the leaders of the Chinese who were willing to co-operate with them. These so-called “puppet” governments were designed to rule on behalf of the Japanese while firmly under their control. In turn, the “puppet” governments needed their own armed forces to help them maintain control over the populace and so they raised their own 'independent' armed forces. These “puppet” armies were in large number, reaching a total of well over 1 million before 1945. Although poorly armed and equipped, these forces had an influence on the Japanese war effort through sheer numbers. The Chinese “puppet” soldiers ranged from the well-drilled and trained regular Army of the Last Emperor of China, Pu Yi, who ruled the newly formed state of Manchukuo, 1932–45, to the irregular Mongol cavalry who served alongside Japanese troops in the “secret war” waged in the Mongolian hinterlands. The troops were dismissed as traitors by the Chinese fighting the Japanese, and they were equally despised by the Japanese themselves. The troops were motivated by a range of reasons, from simple survival to a loyalty to their commander. The fact that so many Chinese were willing to fight for the Japanese was embarrassing to all sides, and for this reason has been largely ignored in previous histories of the war in the East. In the first of a three-volume series, Philip Jowett tells the story of the Chinese who fought for the Japanese over a fourteen-year period.

Rays of the Rising Sun

Download Rays of the Rising Sun PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781804514726
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (147 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rays of the Rising Sun by : John Berger

Download or read book Rays of the Rising Sun written by John Berger and published by . This book was released on 2024-02-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When the Japanese Empire went to war with the Allies in December 1941. it had already been fighting in China for 10 years. During that time it had conquered huge areas of China, and subjugated millions of people. The Japanese needed to control the Chinese population in these occupied territories, and for this reason they set up governments from amongst the leaders of the Chinese who were willing to cooperate with them. These so-called 'puppet' governments were designed to rule on behalf of the Japanese while firmly under their control. In turn, the 'puppet' governments needed their own armed forces to help them maintain control over the populace and so they raised their own 'independent' armed forces. These 'puppet' armies were in large number, reaching a total of well over 1 million before 1945. Although poorly-armed and equipped, these forces had an influence on the Japanese war effort through sheer numbers. The Chinese 'puppet' soldiers ranged from the well-drilled and trained regular Army of the Last Emperor of China, Pu Yi, who ruled the newly-formed state of Manchukuo, 1932-45, to the irregular Mongol cavalry who served alongside Japanese troops in the 'secret war' waged in the Mongolian hinterlands. The troops were dismissed as traitors by the Chinese fighting the Japanese, and they were equally despised by the Japanese themselves. The troops were motivated by a range of reasons, from simple survival to a loyalty to their commander. The fact that so many Chinese were willing to fight for the Japanese was embarrassing to all sides, and for this reason has been largely ignored in previous histories of the war in the East. In the first of a three-volume series, Philip Jowett tells the story of the Chinese who fought for the Japanese over a 14 year period. - The first book to relate the story of the Chinese and Manchukoan forces which were raised by, or allied to, the Japanese Imperial Army in China, 1931-45 - Describes in detail the organization, training, actions, uniforms and equipment of these forces, including detailed orders-of-battle - Contains many rare and previously unpublished photos - color plates illustrate the uniforms and insignia of the armies - The air forces and navies of these states are also described in detail, incl. color aircraft profiles - Also includes biographies of notable military commanders

Armies of the Greek-Turkish War 1919–22

Download Armies of the Greek-Turkish War 1919–22 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472806859
Total Pages : 49 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Armies of the Greek-Turkish War 1919–22 by : Philip Jowett

Download or read book Armies of the Greek-Turkish War 1919–22 written by Philip Jowett and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-07-20 with total page 49 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a comprehensive guide to the armies that fought a devastating and decisive conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean between the two World Wars of the 20th century. From the initial Greek invasion, designed to "liberate" the 100,000 ethnic Greeks that lived in Western Turkey and had done for centuries, to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's incredibly efficient formation of a national government and a regular army, this was a war that shaped the geopolitical landscape of the Mediterranean to this day. It gave birth to the modern Turkish state, displacing millions and creating bitter memories of atrocities committed by both sides. Augmented with very rare photographs and beautiful illustrations, this ground-breaking title explores the history, organization, and appearance of the armies, both guerilla and conventional, that fought in this bloody war.

Rays of the Rising Sun

Download Rays of the Rising Sun PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (12 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rays of the Rising Sun by :

Download or read book Rays of the Rising Sun written by and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

The Japanese Home Front 1937–45

Download The Japanese Home Front 1937–45 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472845544
Total Pages : 65 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Japanese Home Front 1937–45 by : Philip Jowett

Download or read book The Japanese Home Front 1937–45 written by Philip Jowett and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-08-19 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937 until the Japanese surrender in August 1945, a multitude of military and civil-defence forces strove to support the Japanese war effort and latterly prepared to defend the Home Islands against invasion. During World War II, Japan was the world's most militarized society and by 1945 nearly every Japanese male over the age of 10 wore some kind of military attire, as did the majority of women and girls. In this volume, Philip Jowett reveals the many military and civil-defence organizations active in wartime Japan, while specially commissioned artwork and carefully chosen archive photographs depict the appearance of the men, women and children involved in the Japanese war effort in the Home Islands throughout World War II.

Armies of the Balkan Wars 1912–13

Download Armies of the Balkan Wars 1912–13 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 184908419X
Total Pages : 50 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (49 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Armies of the Balkan Wars 1912–13 by : Philip Jowett

Download or read book Armies of the Balkan Wars 1912–13 written by Philip Jowett and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-03-20 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1912, the Balkan states formed an alliance in an effort to break free from the crumbling Ottoman Empire. Forming an army of some 645,000 troops from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenego, they took on a force of 400,000 Turkish soldiers. Both sides were equipped with the latest weapons technology. This book looks at the diverse and sometimes colourful uniforms worn by both sides, paying special attention to insignia, weapons and equipment. It also gives an overview of the campaigns that became a 'priming pan' of World War I.

The Economics of World War II in Southeast Asia

Download The Economics of World War II in Southeast Asia PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107099331
Total Pages : 555 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Economics of World War II in Southeast Asia by : Gregg Huff

Download or read book The Economics of World War II in Southeast Asia written by Gregg Huff and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-10-22 with total page 555 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first comprehensive account of the impact of Japanese occupation on Southeast Asian economies and societies during World War II.

China Defensive

Download China Defensive PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Government Printing Office
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 28 pages
Book Rating : 4./5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis China Defensive by : Mark D. Sherry

Download or read book China Defensive written by Mark D. Sherry and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 1996 with total page 28 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Clash of Empires in South China

Download Clash of Empires in South China PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University Press of Kansas
ISBN 13 : 0700621083
Total Pages : 480 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (6 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Clash of Empires in South China by : Franco David Macri

Download or read book Clash of Empires in South China written by Franco David Macri and published by University Press of Kansas. This book was released on 2015-06-05 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japan's invasion of China in 1937 saw most major campaigns north of the Yangtze River, where Chinese industry was concentrated. The southern theater proved a more difficult challenge for Japan because of its enormous size, diverse terrain, and poor infrastructure, but Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek made a formidable stand that produced a veritable quagmire for a superior opponent--a stalemate much desired by the Allied nations. In the first book to cover this southern theater in detail, David Macri closely examines strategic decisions, campaigns, and operations and shows how they affected Allied grand strategy. Drawing on documents of U.S. and British officials, he reveals for the first time how the Sino-Japanese War served as a "proxy war" for the Allies: by keeping Japan's military resources focused on southern China, they hoped to keep the enemy bogged down in a war of attrition that would prevent them from breaching British and Soviet territory. While the most immediate concern was preserving Siberia and its vast resources from invasion, Macri identifies Hong Kong as the keystone in that proxy war-vital in sustaining Chinese resistance against Japan as it provided the logistical interface between the outside world and battles in Hunan and Kwangtung provinces; a situation that emerged because of its vital rail connection to the city of Changsha. He describes the development of Anglo-Japanese low-intensity conflict at Hong Kong; he then explains the geopolitical significance of Hong Kong and southern China for the period following the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Opening a new window on this rarely studied theater, Macri underscores China's symbolic importance for the Allies, depicting them as unequal partners who fought the Japanese for entirely different reasons-China for restoration of its national sovereignty, the Allies to keep the Japanese preoccupied. And by aiding China's wartime efforts, the Allies further hoped to undermine Japanese propaganda designed to expel Western powers from its Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. As Macri shows, Hong Kong was not just a sleepy British Colonial outpost on the fringes of the empire but an essential logistical component of the war, and to fully understand broader events Hong Kong must be viewed together with southern China as a single military zone. His account of that forgotten fight is a pioneering work that provides new insight into the origins of the Pacific War.

The Cambridge History of the Second World War: Volume 2, Politics and Ideology

Download The Cambridge History of the Second World War: Volume 2, Politics and Ideology PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9781108406406
Total Pages : 718 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (64 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Cambridge History of the Second World War: Volume 2, Politics and Ideology by : Richard Bosworth

Download or read book The Cambridge History of the Second World War: Volume 2, Politics and Ideology written by Richard Bosworth and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-11-23 with total page 718 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: War is often described as an extension of politics by violent means. With contributions from twenty-eight eminent historians, Volume 2 of The Cambridge History of the Second World War examines the relationship between ideology and politics in the war's origins, dynamics and consequences. Part I examines the ideologies of the combatants and shows how the war can be understood as a struggle of words, ideas and values with the rival powers expressing divergent claims to justice and controlling news from the front in order to sustain moral and influence international opinion. Part II looks at politics from the perspective of pre-war and wartime diplomacy as well as examining the way in which neutrals were treated and behaved. The volume concludes by assessing the impact of states, politics and ideology on the fate of individuals as occupied and liberated peoples, collaborators and resistors, and as British and French colonial subjects.

Empires in the Balance

Download Empires in the Balance PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Naval Institute Press
ISBN 13 : 1612517285
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (125 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Empires in the Balance by : H. P Willmott

Download or read book Empires in the Balance written by H. P Willmott and published by Naval Institute Press. This book was released on 2008-09-01 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The respected British military historian H. P. Willmott presents the first of a three-volume appraisal of the strategic policies of the countries involved in the Pacific War. Remarkable in its scope and depth of research, his thoughtful analysis covers the whole range of political, economic, military, and naval activity in the Pacific. This first volume comprehensively covers events between December 1941 and April 1942, concluding with the Doolittle Raid on April 18. When published in hardcover in 1982, the book was hailed as an eloquent portrayal of great empires on trial that no one should miss. Willmott’s stimulating and original approach to the subject remains unmatched even today.

Forgotten Armies

Download Forgotten Armies PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780674017481
Total Pages : 614 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (174 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Forgotten Armies by : Christopher Alan Bayly

Download or read book Forgotten Armies written by Christopher Alan Bayly and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2005 with total page 614 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the early stages of the Second World War, the vast crescent of British-ruled territories stretching from India to Singapore appeared as a massive Allied asset. It provided scores of soldiers and great quantities of raw materials and helped present a seemingly impregnable global defense against the Axis. Yet, within a few weeks in 1941-42, a Japanese invasion had destroyed all this, sweeping suddenly and decisively through south and southeast Asia to the Indian frontier, and provoking the extraordinary revolutionary struggles which would mark the beginning of the end of British dominion in the East and the rise of today's Asian world. More than a military history, this gripping account of groundbreaking battles and guerrilla campaigns creates a panoramic view of British Asia as it was ravaged by warfare, nationalist insurgency, disease, and famine. It breathes life into the armies of soldiers, civilians, laborers, businessmen, comfort women, doctors, and nurses who confronted the daily brutalities of a combat zone which extended from metropolitan cities to remote jungles, from tropical plantations to the Himalayas. Drawing upon a vast range of Indian, Burmese, Chinese, and Malay as well as British, American, and Japanese voices, the authors make vivid one of the central dramas of the twentieth century: the birth of modern south and southeast Asia and the death of British rule.